Reversing mechanism



g- 1 1931. H. ANDERSON I 1,318,664

REVERSING MEcHANI'M Filed April 9, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ven i'br: He 1m er m derson it i'orneys.

H. ANDERSON REVERSIfiG MECHANISM Filed April 9', 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet I In van for: elmer fiderson 93 H. AND-ERsd 11,818,664

nnvmsniaw-garacmmlsm v 4 med April 9, 492a s sheetskshe 3 Kt torneya;

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UN T D mus nnvnnsrno V My invention relates to reversing mecha nism. 'An object of the invention is to provide a reversing mechanism particularly 7' adapted for use in connection with a press of the die-expressing type in which macaroni paste or other plastic material is expressed through a die by means of areciprocating plunger; A further object is to provide mechanism' for causing the plunger to be retracted at a higher rate of speed than the speed at which it isjadvanced for expressing the material through the die. The full objects and advantages of my in-' I vention will appear in connection with the i5 detailed description thereof, and the novel features of my inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims;

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form inwhich my invention may be embodied,Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the' machine. Fig.2 is afragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the front'upper portion of themachine. Fig. 3 is aview on anen larged scale in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. '1. Fig. 5 is a view'on an enlarged scale in section on the 'line 5-5'0f Fig. 1. F i 6 is a view in central. vertical section. ig. 7 isa view line 7 1 of Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a View showing thedie in vertical sec'tion'on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. -9 is a view in vertical section of the product produced bypassagethrou'gh 3'5 thedie.

machineincludes rear standards 10 and front standards 12 which extend up considerably higher than the standards 10. The front standards 12 are connected by a crossbar 14 whose upper-surface is at' the same'height as the upper ends of the standards 10. a A table 16 is supported by the standards 10 and the crossbar 14; A shaft 18 is rotatably mount ed near thelower end of the frame and secured to this shaft, thereisa pulley 2O driven by a belt '22from any suitable source of power. A shaft 24 is'rotatably mounted in bearings toward the upperfend of thefs'tandards '12.

' A comparatively small pulley 26 isrotatably Application filed. April 9,

showin a die in horizontal section on the As shown in the drawings, the frame of the PATENT], o FIcsff HELMER, ANDERSON, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASFSHIGNOR, BY Assroivr5 MENTS, 1'0 GENERAL MILLS, 1Nc.,-AcoR-roRATIon-or DELAWARE MECHANISM I 1928. Serial No. 268,520

mounted on'the shaft 24 near one of its ends while a comparatively large pulley 28 isrotatably mounted on this shaft near its other end. Acrossed belt 30 runs around the pulley 26 and arounda comparatively large pulley 32secured to theshaft 18 near one of its ends. A straight belt 34 runs around the pulley'28 and around a comparatively small pulley 36 secured to theshaft 18 near its other end. The pulleys 26 and 28are thus driven in opposite directions, thepulley 26 being driven at a much higher speed than the pulley 28. The pulley 26 carries a cone clutch member 38 with which is adapted to cooperate a cone clutch member 40 having a hub 41 which is splined on the shaft'24. The pulley 28 car-' rles a cone clutch member 42 with whichjis adapted to cooperatefa cone clutchmember 44 having a hub 45 splined on the shaft24. The central portion of the shaft 24 is pro vided with a worm 46 mesh'ing'with a wormgear 48 contained in a gear housing 50. "The gear 48 is'secured to a shaft 52- which is ro tatably mounted in bearings 54 and' 56 car ried by the upper and lower sides respectively of the gear housing. "Secured to the lower end of the shaft 52,'there is a square tube 58 in which slidably fits a square head 60 on the upper end of a rod 62 having right handed screw threadswhich engage internal threads formed'in a fixed member 64. The member 64 is in' the form of-a block supported by standards 66 which extend up from the top surface of a die-carrying member 68 which water jacket which may be supplied 'in any suitable' manner 'with'hot water. It is, of course, within the province of my invention to provide any suitable heating means for the cylinder 70 and the particular means em-' ployed constitutesno' feature of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the member 68 is additionally supported by braces 74 connected with the standards 12. The bottom of the cylinder 7 0 is provided with a shoulder '76 upon which a die 78 rests. As shown in Figs. 1 7 and 8, this die may consistof the well known form of macaroni die constructed to produce tubes such as shown in Fig. 9 and designated by the character T. It is obvious, however, that the die 78 may be removed from the cylinder and replaced by other forms of dies through which the material M is expressed by the action of a plunger 80 attached to the lower end of the threaded rod 62. It will be understood that when this rod is rotated in one direction, it will be screwed down through the block 64 and when it is rotated in the other direction, it will be retracted. The shaft 52 has an upper portion 82 which is provided with left hand threads having threaded engagement with a nut member 84 provided with a project-ion 86 extending out through a vertical slot 88 formed in a casing 90 extending up from the gear housing 50. A

horizontal bar 92 is slidably mounted in guides 94 at the upper ends of the two standards 12. Two pairs of projections 96 are carried by the bar 92 and these projections engage the upperends of two shifting levers 98 and 100 so that these levers are caused to swing in unison with each other as the bar 92 is slid. As will be understood from Fig. 4, the lever 98 has a circular portion 102 which carries projections engaging in an annular groove in the hub 41 of the slidable clutch member 40. The lever 100 has acircular portion 104 which carries projections engaging in an annular groove in the hub 45 of the slidable clutch member 44. It is apparent, therefore, that when the bar 92 is reciprocated, the clutch members 40 and 42 will be alternately engaged and disengaged for the purpose of rotating the shaft 24 in reverse directions. The lower ends of the levers98 and 100 are pivotally and adjustably sup-' ported by the frame. For this purpose, a bar 106 is supported from the underside of the housing 50. The end portions of this bar have horizontal slots in which slides 108 arev mounted and held by set screws 110. In order to hold the slides accurately in adjusted position, they are provided with pro ections 112 which are engaged by bolts 114 threaded through projections 116 extending out from the bar 106 as best shown in Fig. 5. The low-.

er ends of the levers 98 and 100 are of course pivoted to the two slides 108 respectively. The lever 100 is connected by a coiled spring 118' with a projection 119 secured to one of the standards 12. The spring 118 is so proportioned that it is alternately under compression and tension when the lever 100 occupies its two extreme positions. In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 with the clutch member 44 engaged and the clutch member 40 disengaged, the spring 118 is under compression. As viewed in Fig. 1, the lever 100 is in its extreme right hand position and when this lever is moved into eXtreme'left hand position so as to disengage the clutch member 44 and engage the clutch member 40, the spring 118 will be tensioned or stretched. For causing this shifting operation to be performed automatically, the following construction is provided. As shown in Fig. 3, a rock shaft 120 is mounted in bearings 122 and 124 extending out from the casing 90. Secured to the shaft 120, there is an arm 126 which carries an adjustable bolt 127 adapted to be engaged by the projection 86 when the latter is in lower position. Also secured to the shaft 120 there is an arm 128 whose outer end is provided with a stop shoulder 130 as best shown in Fig. 2. Also secured to the shaft 120, there is an arm-132 whose outer end is connected by a coiled spring 134 with a projection 136' carried by the casing 90. The spring 134 acting through the shaft 120 holds the arm 128 downupon a projection 138 carried by the lever 98. When the lever 98 is moved toward the right from the position shown in Fig. 2, the shoulder 130 moves down behind the projection 138 and prevents the lever 98 from moving toward the left until the arm 128 is lifted so that this arm constitutes a latching arm. A similar latching device for the lever 100 is operated by the proj ection 86 in its upper position. A rock shaft 140 is mounted similarly to the rock shaft 120. Secured to the shaft 140, there is an arm 146 which carries anadjus'table bolt 147 adapted to be engaged bythe projection 86 when the latter is in upperposition. Also secured to the shaft140 there-is arm 148 Whose outer end is provided with a stop shoulder 150. Also secured to the shaft 140, there is an arm 152 whose outer end is connected by'a coiled spring 154 withfla projection 156 carried by the casing 90 The spring 154 acting through the shaft 140 holds the arm 148 up against the lower side of a projection 158 carried by the lever 100.] When this lever is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the shoulder engages the projection 158 and serves to latch the lever 100 so that it cannot move toward the right until the shouldered end of the arm 148 is depressed in opposite to the tension of the spring 154. v A hand lever 160 is attached to one end of the bar 92 for moving it by hand for a purpose which will be referred to in connection with the following description of operation. l

The operation and advantages of myinvention will be understood in connection with the foregoing description. In the position shownin 6, the plunger 80 is supposed to be moving ownwardly and forcing the material. M through the die 78. This movement of the plunger is due to the fact that the clutch member 44 is in engagement with its cooperating clutch member 42 so that the rod 62 is screwed down through the block 64. At the same time, the threaded portion 82 of the shaft 52 is causing the projection'86 to move upwardly. WVhen the plunger 82 has been moved to its final downward position,

the projection 86 has engaged the end of the arm 146 which rocks the shaft 140 in opposition to the tension of the spring 154. The result is that the shoulder 150 is disengaged from the projection 158 and since the spring 118 has been held under compression, it quickly snaps the lever 100 toward the left as shaft 24 is to the right. When the stop members are disengaged by the operation of the nut 84 and the projection carried thereby, the compressed spring 118 forces the clutch member 44 toward the right out of its clutching engagement, thereby stopping the worm and taking the thrust from the shaft 24. The inertia of the gear 48 then causes the shaft 24 to move toward the left, thereby engaging the clutch member 40 with the clutch member 38 and causing the stops to be locked. The operation is repeated-in the opposite direction when the plunger 82 has been moved into its upper position.

When the plunger is in upper position, the cylinder 7 0 is supplied in any suitable manner with the material which is to be shaped or pressed. When the press is used for expressing macaroni or other similar paste products, it is desirable to keep the material in a warm condition. Therefore, I have provided a hot water jacket around the cylinder although it will be understood that other heating means may be employed. The handle 160 is provided for use when the machine is started. By referring to Fig. 1, it will be obvious that this handle may be operated to bring the shifting levers 98 and 100 into the desired position in which they will be latched until the plunger reaches the end of its stroke whereupon the direction of movement will be automatically reversed in the manner previously described and the press will continue to operate as long as the spring 118 retains its resiliency.

I claim:

1. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a plunger, ashaft, a screwthreaded rod slidably carried by said shaft and having said plunger attached to one end thereof. a fixed threaded member with which said rod is engaged, two clutches operating in alternation to rotate said shaft in opposite directions for reciprocating said plunger,

means by which the plunger retracting clutch rotates said shaft faster than the plunger advancing clutch does, a spring alternately placed under compression and tension, and connections between said spring and clutches whereby the latter are alternately brought into operative position at the ends of the strokes of said plunger.

2. Ina reversing mechanism, the combination of a plunger, a shaft, a screw-threaded rod slidably carried by said shaft and having said plunger attached to one end thereof, a fixed threaded member with which said rod is engaged, a second shaft for driving said first shaft, two clutches on said second shaft each of which has a fast and a loose member, means for driving said loose members in opposite directions and at different 'rates of speed, shifting levers connected with'said loose members, a sliding bar to which said levers are connected, a

latching-device which engages one of said levers in one extreme position, a second latching device which engages the other of said levers in the other extreme position, a spring attached to one of said levers, said spring being under compression for one of said extreme positions and being tensioned for the other of said extreme positions, releasing devices for said latching devices respectively, and mechanism for engaging one of said releasing devices when said plunger is in advanced position and for engaging the other of said releasing devices when said plunger is in retracted position.

3. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a plunger, a shaft, a screw-threaded rod slidably carried by said shaft and having said plunger attached to one end thereof, a fixed threaded member with which said rod is engaged, a second shaft for driving said first shaft, two clutches on said second shaft each of which has a fast and a loose member, means for driving said loose members in opposite directions and at different rates of speed, shifting levers connect ed with said loose members, a sliding bar to which said levers are connected, a latching device which engages one of said levers in one extreme position, a second latching device which engages the other of said levers in the other extreme position, a spring attached to one of said levers, said spring being under compression for one of said extreme positions and being tensioned for the other of said extreme positions, releasing devices for said latching devices respectively, said first mentioned shaft having a screwthreaded portion, a nut member engaged by said threaded portion for reciprocation thereby, said nut member engaging one of said releasing devices when said plunger is in advanced position and engaging the other of said releasing devices when said plunger is in retracted position.

4. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a plunger. a shaft. a screw-thread ed rod slidably carried by said shaft and having said plunger attached to one end thereof, a fixed threaded member with which said rod is engaged, two clutches operating in alternation to rotate said shaft in opposite directions for reciprocating said plunger, a spring alternately placed under compression and tension, and connections'between said spring and clutches whereby the latter are alternately brought into operative position at the ends of the strokes of said plunger.

5. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a plunger, a rotatable screwthreaded rod'to which said plunger is attached, a fixed threaded member with which said rod is engaged, two clutches operating in alternation to rotate said screw-threaded rod in opposite directions for reciprocation with said plunger, a spring alternately placed under compression and tension, and connections between said spring and clutches whereby the latter are alternately brought into operative position at the ends of the strokes of said plunger.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HELMER ANDERSON. 

